Potato planter



Aug. 31, 1937. c, COOK 2,091,432

POTATO PLANTER Filed July 1 .4, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l 11v VENTOR N m ATTORNEYS. DO F Aug. 31, 1937. c. L. COOK 2,091,432

POTATO PLANTER Filed July 14, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR 62m $6.came 45%, 1% 9% A TTORNE VS.

Aug. 31, 1937. c, COOK 2,091,432

POTATO PLANTER Filed July 14, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A T T OR/VE VS.

Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE POTATO PLAN TERApplication July 14, 1934, Serial No. 735,135

24 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements andis particularly concerned with potato planters and the like, preferablythose embodying a seed bowl in which there is disposed a picker wheel ofmore or less conventional construction for picking up pieces of potato,one at a time, and dropping the same into a seed receiving furrow. Oneof the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of aseed hopper disposed substantially directly above the seed bowl in whichthe picker wheel is operative. This feature, particularly in connectionwith improved oscillating plates and the like, by which the pieces ofpotato are continuously and uniformly fed to the seed bowl, provides avery eflicient but simple gravity feed by which exactly the right amountof seed is maintained in the bowl for efficient and proper planting andby which a uniform flow of seed pieces into the seed bowl is securedwithout any bridging of the seed in the hopper or other irregularitiesin the feed.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a seedhopper including oscillatory inclined plates forming a wall of thehopper and means for oscillating said plates which is actuated by thepicker wheel in the seed bowl.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a,hopper mounted directly over the seed bowl, which is especially adaptedfor use with seed bowls of the type embodying separated sections betweenwhich the picker is operative. According to the principles of thepresent invention the lower portion of the hopper includes hoppersections embracing the picker wheel and provided with vertical wallportions disposed adjacent the upper portions of the picker wheel, withoscillating plates movable in a vertical plane and pivotally mounted onthe vertical wall portions mentioned. Oscillation of these plates servesto secure uniformity of feed.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of drivingmeans for said oscillating plates which is actuated by the same shaftwhich drives the picker wheel, and a still furtherobject of the presentinvention is the provision of oscillating means. for the fertilizerhopper which is also driven by this shaft, particularly by connectingmeans associated with the connections by which the shaft drives theoscillating plates mentioned above.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision ofimproved means for connecting the beam or beams of the furrow openerwith 55 the main frame of the potato planter so as to provide forlateral adjustment of the furrow opener. \Nhile this improvement isparticularly concerned with an implement such as a potato planter, thisfeature of the present invention is not necessarily to be limited topotato planters.

A further object of the present invention, having particularly to dowith potato planters but not necessarily limited thereto, is theprovision of improved connections between the furrow opener which opensa furrow for receiving potato seed and the covering disks or othermeans, by which the covering means is held to a working depthcorresponding to the depth of operation of the furrow opening means.Further, another object of the present invention is the provision ofsuch connections that the furrow opening means and. the covering meansare both raised to substantially the same height when the implement isarranged for transport, as for turning around at the end of the furrow,moving from field to field, or the like. In this connection, a stillfurther object of the present invention is the provision of improvedfurrow opening means for the deposition of fertilizer in advance of theopening of the furrow which receives the potato seed pieces. Accordingto the principles of the present invention, the fertilizer furrowopening means is operatively connected with the seed furrow openingmeans so that, by the employment of a single compression spring or theequivalent, both of the furrow opening means are yieldingly held inoperating position and both can accommodate obstructions and the likewhich may be encountered as the machine is drawn across a field inoperation.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision ofimproved fertilizer distributing means which embodies, first, a straightvertically disposed tube or a pair of tubes for delivering thefertilizer directly into the fertilizer furrow, and, second, theprovision of an improved agitator disposed between laterally spacedfertilizer distributing bowls. By virtue of these features, a steady,uniform and accurately controlled deposit of fertilizer can be secured.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of animproved agricultural implement frame means which comprises a frame unitsuitably connected together by means which maintains the unit partsrigidly connected together and which, at the same time, provides for theassociation of a plurality of such units secured together and forming arelatively rigid frame construction for a multiple-row machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the preferred structural embodiment,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating thesame.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a potato planter embodying the featuresof the present invention, the right hand supporting wheel being removedin order to better show the operating parts;

Figure 2 is a top view of the machine shown in Figure 1, with the seedhopper and fertilizer distributing apparatus cut away;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, illustrating theinterconnection between the rear portions of the furrow openersupporting beams and the forward portion of the supporting bars for therear covering wheels;

Figure 6 is a top plan view, on a reduced scale, of the seed andfertilizer hoppers;

Figure 7 is a top plan view, showing the framework of an implement whichis constructed of two frame units of the type best shown in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the implement parts shown in Figure 7Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 99 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a section taken along the line lilll of Figure '7.

The implement shown in the accompanying drawings is a potato planter andembodies suitable seed selecting mechanism and associated parts mountedon a wheeled supporting frame l which comprises two longitudinallyextending channel members 2 and 3 having their ends bent at right anglesand connected together by means of connecting blocks 4 and 5 disposed,respectively, at the rear and front ends of the implement, as best shownin Figure 2, which illustrates a single unit machine. The function ofthe connecting blocks #3 and 5 when employing a plurality of frame unitsto provide -a multiple row machine will be referred to'later.Intermediate the ends of the channel frame members 2 and 3, there isdisposed a transverse frame member 5a which reinforces the frame andserves to connect the members 2 and 3 intermediate their ends. The frameis carried on an axle 6 which is journaled in bearings l and 3 (Figure2) suitably fixed to the two frame members 2 and 3, respectively. Theends of the axle ii extend laterally outwardly to receive carryingwheels 9 and ill journaled thereon. The wheels 3 and I0 serve as drivingwheels for the machine and, to this end, are equipped with pawl andratchet drive mechanisms M and 112 for operating the various parts ofthe planter mechanism.

The planting mechanism in general comprises a seed hopper, the pieces ofpotato or the whole potatoes which may be planted being hereinafterreferred to as seed, and suitable seed selecting mechanism forsuccessively selecting pieces of potato and depositing the same in asuitably formed furrow. The planting mechanism consists of a pickingelement or wheel M which comprises asleeve member 55 journaled on thecentral portion of the axle 6 and provided with a central hub 56 (Figure2) to each side of which four radially extending picker arms I! arefixed, pref-.

erably in staggered arrangement, as best indicated in Figure 3. Each ofthe picker arms has two picker prongs 20 fixed thereto, preferably oneon each side thereof, and each pair of prongs is adapted to impale apiece of potato in the manner well known in the art. For ejecting thepiece of potato impaled on the prongs, each picker arm is provided witha cam member 2| pivotally connected to the radially outer end of theassociated arm, as indicated at 22, and has pivotal movement withrespect thereto within the limits of a slot 23 formed in the cam memberand which receives a pin or the like carried at the outer end of the armI]. A gravity controlled retaining member 24 is carried on each of thepicker arms ll, the pivot connection being indicated by the referencenumeral 25, and the retaining members 23 serve to aid in holding thepotato pieces on the picks or prongs 2i). Preferably, the cam member 2!on each of the picker arms functions not only to guide the pieces ofpotato onto the picks or prongs but also to eject the pieces off of theprongs 26 at the proper time, as will be described more in detail below.

As is usual in this type of implement, the picker wheel I i and the armsll operate within a seed bowl of generally semi-spherical configurationindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 30. The seed bowl 30is preferably of two part construction, being formed of two halfsections 3| and 32 spaced apart laterally of the implement so as toprovide space for the picking arms I! to pass between the bowl sectionsand closely adjacent the inner edges thereof. The two half sections 3iand 32 of the seed bowl 311 are separately supported from the framemembers 2 and 3, respectively, by means of small brackets 33 whichextend laterally inwardly from the frame members 2 and 3 to receivecooperating lugs 34 formed preferably integrally with the bowl sections3! and 32. The brackets 33 and the lugs 34 are suitably apertured toreceive bolts 35 by which the bowl sections 3! and 32 are secured inplace. The bowl sections are connected together at their lower sides,and to this end each section is provided with a depending flange 40(Figure 3), and the flanges are connected together by any suitablemeans, such as bolts 4|. As best shown in Figure 3, the picker arms I!move through a path which is closely adjacent the connecting bolts 4!,and as best shown in Figure 4, the picker arms ll are spaced apart andthe space between the picker arms ll on one side of the wheel and theother arm at the other side of the wheel is closed by means of agenerally vertically disposed filler member 43 (Figure 2) which extendsbetween the arms l1 and is provided at its lower end with a dependingarm 44 (Figure 3) disposed between the flanges 40 in the lower centralportion of the seed bowl sections 3! and 32. The depending arm 44 isbolted to the flanges M! by means of the connecting bolts M referred toabove. The adjacent edges of the seed bowl sections 3! and 32, togetherwith the centrally disposed curved flller member 43, thus form a pair ofslots in the seed bowl construction, and these slots receive the pickerarms I7, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In the rear portion of the seed bowl 313 in the space between the twobowl sections 3! and 32 at the rear of the filler member 43 describedabove, there are two concaves 5i and 52 which are pivotally mounted on abolt 53 disposed in the lower portion of the flanges 43 depending fromthe bowl sections 3! and 32, as best shown til 20 nut 63 and the bracket62.

in Figure 3. Each concave comprises two members 55 and 56 connectedtogether by means of a bolt or the equivalent. The connecting bolt 57,by which the two parts of the concave are connected together, passesthrough a rearwardly extending arm 50 on the concave part 55 and througha similar portion on the other concave part 58, and the inner edges ofthe two concave members 55 and 5B diverge to form a V-shaped trough forthe reception of one row of picker arms H. For adjusting the tension ofthe concaves 5i and 52, the arm 60 of each is provided with an openingto receive the lower end of an adjusting bolt El which passes through aper- 7 foration in a bracket 62 carried by the rear ends of the framemembers 2 and 3, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. An adjusting nut 53is provided on the upper end of each bolt El and a compression spring 64is disposed between each By virtue of this construction, the springs 64yieldingly hold the arms 68 on the concaves 5i and 52 up against a stopblock 65 carried by the bracket 62. As the pieces of potato, or potatoseed as they are called,

25 are fed into the seed bowl 323, as will be referred to later, theyfall upon the concaves, and as the picker arms ll come in contact withthe potato pieces, the latter are pushed upwardly along the concaves andthe latter function to push an indi- 30 vidual piece of potato onto thetwo prongs or picks 2B of one of the arms ll.

The seed potatoes or pieces thereof are fed into the seed bowl 3% bymeans which will now be described. Above the bowl 3B the hopper ill '35for the potato seed is mounted, and the hopper is fixed to the outerside of the two bowl sections 3i and 32 by any suitable means, such asbolts H or the like. The lower portion of the hopper is divided into twolaterally spaced sections by means of an inner partition l3 whichembraces the upper portion of the picker wheel and provides a spacethrough which the picker arms i? move. The partition 73 comprises aV-shaped top 53a, and vertically disposed walls 'M and i5 which lieclosely alongside the picker wheel unit, as best shown in Figure 4. Thefront walls of the two lower laterally spaced hopper sections comprisedownwardly and rearwardly inclined plates l6 and H which are hingedlymounted on brackets 78 (Figures 3 and 4) suitably fixed to the frontwall of the upper portion of the hopper '50. On the rear wall of thehopper a b-afile plate '59 is fixed and extends forwardly anddownwardly, as best shown in Figure 3. The function of the baffle plate'19 in each of the lower hopper sections is to retard the movement ofthe seed potatoes into the bowl 339.

By reason of the partition l3, the seed pieces of potatoes in the hopperare caused to travel down either on one side or the other of thepartition and along one or the other of the inclined plates it and iland be deposited into the bowl section Si or 32 adjacent the concaves 5iand 52. In order to facilitate the continuous movement of the seedpotatoes into the bowl 30, the inclined plates '55 and H are caused tooscillate vertically by means of a pair of lugs 89 (Figures 2 and 3)provided on the picker wheel sleeve. l5 on each side of the hub sectionit. Each inclined wall 76 and H is provided with a shouldered offset 81adjacent the point of the plate which is contacted by the associated lug80. This shouldered construction provides for a sudden downward movementof the bottom plates 16 or H each time one of the lugs 80 passes theportion. 8 i.

above, on the bolt 81.

'For further facilitating the movement or" the potatoes toward the seedbowl and to prevent bridging of the potatoes in the lower sections ofthe hopper 10, two oscillating plates 85 and 86 are provided, oneadjacent each vertical wall it! and 15 of the partition 13. As bestshown in Figure 4, the plate 85 is pivotally mounted on a sleeve 85acarried by a bolt Bl which is fixed to and extends laterally inwardlyfrom a lug 88 formed on the upper front corner of the bowl section 3!.The plate 85 is held against the vertical wall 14 by means of acompression spring 85b which embraces the sleeve 85a and bears againstthe inner side of the lug 83 and against a washer on the sleeve 850.which engages the plate 85. By virtue of this construction, the plate 85pivots about an axis defined by the bolt 81 and is movable in a verticalplane. The other oscillatable plate 86 is similarly pivoted on a sleeve85a carried by a bolt 81a extending inwardly from a lug 88a on the uppercorner of the bowl section 32. The bolt 81 also provides a support forthe lower front corner of the partition wall M, the bolt 81 passingthrough a perforation in the wall M and carrying a short sleeve 850which clamps the plate M, when the bolt 8! is tightened, between thesleeve 85 and the sleeve 850. That is to say, when the bolt 8'1! istightened,

the head bears against the short sleeve 85c, and

the latter, in turn, bears against the wall M which is thus clampedtightly against the sleeve 85a. The latter bears, at its laterally outerend, against the lug 88a, whereby tightening the bolt 8'6 rigidlysecures these parts to the bowl section 3!. The other bolt 87a supportsthe lower corner of the wall 15 in a similar manner, as best showninFigure l.

The extent of oscillation of the inclined plates 16 and Ti (Figure 3) iscontrolled by means of a pair of rods 90 (Figure 4), there being one ofsuch rods for each of the inclined plates. Each of the rods 9!! issupported, as best shown in Figure 3, in a perforation in a bracket 91mounted on the rear wall of the hopper l0 and extended along the outerside of the vertical wall 14 of the partition '53. The forward end ofthe rod 90 is looped back upon itself and. the looped portion embracesthe sleeve 85c mounted, as described A washer 8511 (Figure 4) isinterposed between the short sleeve 85c and the head of the bolt, thewasher serving to hold the rod 90 in position. The looped end of the rodterminates in a laterally extended end 92 which is disposed in a slot 93form-ed in the vertical wall 14 of the partition 13. Since theoscillatory plate 85 is disposed against the vertical wall 14, the plate85 is also provided with a slot 94 to receive the laterally extended end92 of the rod 9|], and since the plate 85 oscillates the slot 94 isnecessarily larger than the slot 93 so as to clear the end 92 in thedifferent positions to which the plate may be moved. The end 92 of therod 90 extends underneath the oscillatory plate 16 and forms a supporttherefor. A hand screw 96 is threaded on the rear end of the rod 95 andby tightening the same the rod may be moved toward the lug in Figure 3,thereby preventing the plate 16 from being oscillated to as great anextent as would be the case if the end 92 is adjusted to the right ofFigure 3 as far as possible. In other words, moving the rod 90 to theleft in Figure 3 reduces the amplitude of oscillation of the plate 16.The other rod 90 for the oscillatory plate 11 is similarlymounted on theinner end of the bolt 81a and is likewise proframe.

'vided with a hand screw 96. By turning the hand screws 96 in onedirection or the other, the laterally bent ends 92 thereof can be movedforwardly or rearwardly to limit the oscillating movements of the plates76 and Ti caused by their engagement with the lugs 80 formed on thehubor sleeve of the picker wheel I4.

By virtue of the construction described above, the operating means ofwhich will be referred to later, the seed potatoes are fed uniformlyinto the seed bowl 30 from which they are picked up by the picker wheelI4.

After the prongs 26 on the arms I'I impale a piece of potato, the armscontinue to rotate, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3,until a projecting lug IIiI, which is formed on each of the cams 2I, isengaged by a spring trip I62 disposed in the path of movement of thelugs I [ll and supported from the transverse frame member 5a. In thedrawings, the cams 2| on the picker arms I? are shown in the positionthey would assume when no seed potatoes have been placed in the hopper.It is to be understood, however, that in operation each of the armsshown in positions A, B, C, .and D has a piece of potato disposed on theprongs 26 thereof and that the cam members 2! for the arms in thesepositions will be in their clockwise position relative to the arms. Whenthe arms successively reach the position D, the lug ill! is approachingthe spring trip member I52, and as soon as the lug I ll! strikes thetrip #92, the cam 2i is rotated counter-clockwise, causing the roundedprojection I64 on the cam member 2i to trip the potato piece or seed offof the prongs. As each seed piece is thus discharged, it is depositeddown a chute I85 supported from the transverse frame member 5a. Passingdown the chute M5, the potato seed is deposited in a furrow formed by afurrow opener H6 which is supported by a vertically movable beam whichwill be referred to later.

The furrow opener I I6, which opens the furrow in which the seedpotatoes are deposited in the manner just set forth, comprises a pair ofplates iii and H2 having downwardly and rearwardly inclined leadingedges which are connected together to form a runner. The plates II I andH2 diverge rearwardly, and the upper edges thereof are connected in anysuitable manner to a tool beam in the form of a pair of rearwardlydiverging beams or bars i i3 and H4. The rear ends of the beams H3 andH4 are pivotally connected to a pair of depending brackets or supportsH5 and lit connected with and depending from the rear ends of the framemembers 2 and 3, respectiveiy, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3. Thebracket H5 is connected to the frame member 2 for movement relativethereto in a general fore and aft direction. Specifically, the bracketH5 is pivoted to the beam 2 by means of a bolt H8, and the extent ofpivotal movement is determined by a bolt H9 which extends through aperforation in the beam 2 and a slot I26 formed in the rear portion ofthe bracket H5, as best shown in Figure 5. The slot I2il provides forchanging the angular position of the bracket H5 relative to the bolt H8,and by this means the lower end of the bracket H5, to which the'rear endof the bar or beam H3 is connected, may be shifted in a fore and aftdirection. The bracket I I 6 is similarly connected with the framemember 3, and shifting either or both of these brackets causes thefurrow opener H to take different adjusted positions laterally of thesupporting To aid in retaining the bracket H in any position ofadjustment, a set screw I2I is provided and is threaded through a lugI22 fixed to the side of the bracket H5 in a position to contact withthe lower side of the frame member 2. The other bracket I I6 ispreferably also provided with such adjustment retaining means.

The furrow opener I I6 is held at any operating depth, and is alsoraised to inoperative position, by means of a lever I30 pivotallyconnected, as at I3I, to a bracket I32 extending laterally of, andsupported from, the frame member 2. A notched sector I33 is provided forthe lever and cooperates with a latch I34 on-the lever to lock the:lever in any desired position. The lower end of the lever is connectedby means of a rod I35 to the lower end of an arm I36 provided on a rockshaft I3"! journaled in perforations in brackets I38 and I39 boltedbetween transverse frame member 5a and longitudinal frame members 2 and3, respectively. A forwardly extending arm IE6 is fixed to the center ofshaft I31. The forward end of arm I 40 is bifurcated and embraces theupper end of a lifting rod I4I. A pin I42 extends through perforationsin the end of arm I i-t and through a slot I43 provided in the upper endof the lifting rod MI. The lower end of the rod MI is connected by meansof a pivot l id to the front end of the furrow opener III]. Acompression spring I53 embraces the lifting rod MI and is disposedbetween a washer I5I bearing against the under side of the arm I40, andagainst a plate I52 which in turn bears upon a shoulder I53 provided onthe rod I4I. By virtue of the provision of the compression spring itsand the slot I43, the furrow opener is yieldingly held to the desireddepth of operation, but should the furrow opener strike an obstructionit can rise upwardly against tension of the spring i56 within the limitsof the slot I43.

A pair of covering disks I6I and I62 are provided at the rear of theplanter for closing the furrow after the potatoes have been plantedtherein. These disks are mounted on a transverse bar I63 connected, asby means of castings its and IE5 (Figure 2), to .a pair of rearwardlyextending beams I66 and I6? which are fixed at their forward ends to thearms IBM and IS'Ia of a U-shaped member I'iil. The forward ends of armsI66a and I670. are pivotally connected to the sides of frame members 2and 3 by means of bolts I68 and I69, respectively (Figure 1).

Covering disks IBI and I62 are raised and. lowered simultaneously withthe furrow opener H0 through connections between the beams I66 and I6?and the furrow opener beams H3 and H4, respectively. The connection ofbeam I66 with beam I 53 comprises a rod III pivotally connected to thelatter beam at I72, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. The rod IIIextends through a sleeve H3 which is pivotally mounted by means oftrunnions I'M between the beam I66 and the arm Itta, the forward end ofbeam I66 being offset laterally of arm IBM to provide space for sleeveI23, as best shown in Figure 2. The sleeve H3 normally rests upon acollar I'Il fixed upon the rod III by means of adjusting screws I18. Acompression spring I86 embraces the upper end of the rod Ill and bearsagainst a nut I6I threaded upon the upper end of the rod and against thesleeve I73 The beam I6! is similarly connected with the beam H4.

Through these connections between the covering disks NH and I62 and thefurrow opener beams H3 and H4, the covering disks I6I and I62 and thefurrow opener beams II 3 and H4,

the covering disks will be raised simultaneously with the furrow openerand will also be yieldingly held to a proper working depth relative tothe depth at which the furrow opener is operated. The depth at which thecovering disks operate relative to the depth at which the furrow openeris operated can be controlled by turning the nut I 8!. The position ofpoints H2, at which the rods I H are connected with the furrow openerbeams, relative to the location of the sleeves I73 with respect to thepivot bolts I 68 and I69 is such that the covering disks l6! and I62will be raised to substantially the same height as the furrow opener.

The picking mechanism and the oscillating plates 85 and 86 are operatedfrom a jack shaft 26! which is driven from the axle 6. The jack shaft isjournaled in bearings 252 and 203 which are supported in brackets 2M and285 fixed to the sides of the frame members 2 and 3, respectively. Thejack shaft 20! is driven from the axle 6 through a sprocket 206 mountedon the end of the shaft 2!, a chain 29? and a sprocket 208 journaled onthe axle 6 and adapted to be driven thereby through a clutch 209. The

clutch 299 may be engaged or disengaged by a control member 2 l0 whichis adapted to be moved laterally on the axle 6 by an arm 2H on themember 288 engaging the cam surface 2l2 on the bearing 1. A thirdsprocket 2l5 of slightly different size than the sprocket 206 isjournaled on a pin 2 I6 provided on a bracket 2 if supported from thebracket 204 to serve as a chain tightener. The bracket 2!? is adjustablymounted and the pin ZIE is made of the same diameter as jack shaft 29!so that sprockets 2% and 2&5 may be transposed to provide for differentspeeds of rotation of the jack shaft 20! to obtain different spacings ofthe seeds. The picking mechanism is operated from jack shaft 2U! bymeans of a sprocket 2'20 mounted adjacent the left hand end of the jackshaft 20!, a drive chain 22L and a sprocket 222 preferably, but notnecessarily, cast integral with the sleeve E5, the drive chain 22! beingtrained over the sprockets 220 and 222, as indicated in Figure 2.

The vertically disposed plates 85 and 85, mounted on the walls 'M and T5of the partition F3, are oscillated through connections with the jackshaft 26! which comprises a pair of pitmans 230 and 23! pivotallyconnected to the forwardly projecting ends of the plates, as best shownin Figures 3 and 4. The ends of the pitmans opposite their connectionswith the plates 85 and 85 are adjustably connected to split bearingboxes 232 journaled over crank portions 233 and 23% which are providedon the jack shaft 201, as best indicated in Figure l. The furrow openerlit, together with the covering disks l6! and H52 can be raised andlowered by the means described above, including the hand lever I30, andafter the furrow opener I I0 and covering wheels have been raised totheir inoperative position, it is desirable to discontinue the operationof the seed selecting and depositing means. To this end, therefore,mechanism has been provided for automatically disconnecting the clutch209 whenever the furrow opener H1 is raised. This mechanism comprises asleeve 2% (Figure 4) journaled upon the rock shaft I31 and having acrank arm 2 5] formed integral therewith. The crank arm 24] is connectedby means of a link 242 to a lever 243 pivotally supported at 244 to theinner side of frame member 2. The lever 243 is connected by means of alink 245 (Figures 1 and 2) to the arm 2i l of the clutch control member2"]. The sleeve 2% has a lug 250 formed integral therewith which carriesan adjusting bolt 25!, the head of which is adapted "to be contacted bythe upper side of the arm Hill when the latter is swung upwardly forraising the furrow opener to inoperative position. The bolt 25H beingcontacted by arm Mil causes sleeve 24b to be rotated to actuate thecontrol member 2!!) to disconnect the clutch whenever the furrow openeris in its inoperative position.

A foot lever 2613 (Figure 1) has also been provided for manuallydisconnecting the clutch. This foot lever is pivotally connected to abracket 260a (Figure 5) which is, in turn, pivoted to the side of theframe member 2, as at 26!, and the lower end of the bracket 263a isconnected by means of a link 263 to the lower end 26 3 (Figure 1) of thelever 243. The rear end of the link 263 is bent laterally for connectionwith the bracket 260a and also provides the pivot for connecting lever259 with the bracket. The foot lever 26% is provided with a lug 26Gbwhich extends into a slot 2690 in the upper portion of bracket 269a.This provides for limited lost motion between bracket 269a and the lever260 for the purpose of safeguarding the operator from getting his footpinched between the end of the lever 260 and the frame when the furrowopener HE is raised by the hand lever I30.

A fertilizer distributer attachment has also been designed for themachine to be positioned in the most favorable location with respect tothe point at which the fertilizer is to be deposited. The fertilizerdistributing means is mounted in such a position that the fertilizer canbe dropped vertically into the furrows formed for its reception. This isof particular advantage in that a more even distribution of fertilizeris obtained. Whenever fertilizer is led through conduits that areinclined or have curves therein, the fertilizer occasionally collects inthe tube and then later releases itself, causing the fertilizer to bedeposited unevenly. The fertilizer attachment comprises a main framecasting 38!! (Figure 6) having two circular bowls 3532 and 393 thereinin the bottom of which fertilizer feed plates 3% are positioned. Thecasting member till is supported on the planter frame by means of twobrackets 30'! and 3&3 bolted to the under side of the member 30! bymeans of bolts 369 and to the sides of frame members 2 and 3,respectively, by means of bolts 3H1. A fertilizer hopper (H5 is mountedover the frame member and is connected thereto by means of bolts 3H5.

The fertilizer feed plates 3% are journaled upon tapered spindles 320extending upwardly from the center of the bowls 302 and 3% and arerotated by means of a counter shaft 32! journaled in bearings 322supported from the lower side of the frame member 3M. Each feed plate334 has bevel gear teeth formed on its lower side which engage withbevel pinions fixed to shaft 32!. The shaft 32! is driven from the jackshaft 21H by means of a sprocket 33?] mounted on the end of the shaft20!, a chain 33!, and a sprocket 332 mounted on the end of shaft 32f Anoutlet 34!] is formed integral with the front side of each of the bowls382 and 303. A vertically disposed tube 34! is connected and supportedby means of a flexible connection 342 connected to the lower end of eachoutlet 3%. Rotation of the feed plates 3% and 305 feeds fertilizerthrough the outlets 346 into the tubes 34!, which conduct the fertilizerinto furrows formed by a pair of disk furrow openers 350 and 35L Thedisks 350 and 35i are journaled on brackets 352 and 353 supported on aV-shaped beam 354, the arms 355a and 3541) of which diverge rearwardlyand are pivotally connected at their rear ends by means of pivot bolts355 and 356 to the sides of the beams H3 and H5, respectively. The disks350 and 35I are yieldingly held in operating position, and are raised toan inoperative position by means of connections between the arms 354aand 3561), the plate I52 associated with the lifting rod Mi for thefurrow opener H0, as described above. These connections comprise links358 and 359 pivotally connected with arms 352a and 35% and extendingthrough perforations in the plate I52. The upper ends of the links 358and 359 are threaded and each is provided with nuts 360 on the upper andthe lower side of the plate 152 through the agency of which the positionof the disks 350 and 35| relative to the furrow opener I I0 may beadjusted.

To prevent bridging of the fertilizer in the hopper between the twobowls 302 and 303 an oscillating agitator is provided. This agitatorcomprises an inverted U-shaped member 310 one arm of which is pivoted ina journal bracket 31! and the other arm of which extends throughperforations in the rear wall of the frame casting 30!. The end 312 ofthe latter arm is bent laterally at right angles and is connected bymeans of a link 313 with a member 2320, forming a part of the bearingbox 232 mounted on the crank portion 233 of jack shaft 20L The member232a of the 1 bearing 232 is provided with a perforated lug forreceiving the lower bent end of link 313.

A rotatable agitator 380 is also provided in each bowl 302 and 303. Thisagitator comprises an arm having one end bent upwardly and the other endbent upwardly and then downwardly. Each agitator 380 is loosely mountedupon a bolt 383 carried by the vertical spindle 320. A compressionspring 385 embraces bolt 383 and has frictional contact with the topsurface of a plate member 386 journaled over the spindle 320 andinterengaging with the feed plate 304 to rotate therewith. The upper endof spring 385 is disposed in a cup 381 bearing against the under side:of agitator 380. The agitator 380 is rotated through the frictionalcontacts between the lower end of spring 385and the upper surface ofplate 385, the upper end of spring 385 and cup 381, and the frictionalcontact between cup 381 and the under side of arm 380.

Draft is applied to the planter by means of a pole 390 which isconnected by bolts 39l at its rear end to channels 392 the rear ends ofwhich are spaced apart laterally. Bolts 393 and blocks 394 serve toconnect the rear ends of the channels 392 to the frame bars 2 and 3, asbest shown in Figure 2.

The agricultural implement so far as has been described comprises asingle row machine mounted on a supporting frame 1 comprising thegenerally longitudinally disposed frame channel members 2 and 3connected together at their front and rear bent ends in the manner bestshown in Figure 2. In some cases it is desirable to construct a multiplerow machine capable of planting more than one row, and to this end afeature of the frame construction, embodying the principles of thepresent invention, is that two single row planter units, including theframes 1 of each, can readily be connected together to form a two-rowunit as is shown in Figures '7, 8, 9, and 10. The

blocks 4 and 5 are shaped to engage in between the flanges 2a of theframe members 2 and 3 and have recesses 403 to receive the heads ofbolts 401 by which the blocks are connected to the two frame members 2and 3. The blocks 4 and 5 are also formed to project outwardly beyondthe width of the flanges 402 on the frame members 2 and 3 and havebeveled edges 503 to adapt them to be received between the flanges of aconnecting transverse channel member 404.

To construct a two-row machine from two one-row units, the two framesare connected together by means of a member 404 at each end. Holes 555are provided in the blocks and 5 and in the members 2 and 3 to receivebolts 533 for the purpose of rigidly fastening the members 404 inposition. Because of the recesses 630, the bolts 15i need not bedisturbed. A single through-axle 6a is substituted for the twoindividual axles of the two one-row units. By reason of theinterengagement of the blocks 4 and 5 with the members 2 and 3 of theframe of the two units and with the connecting member 504, a very rigidframe results and little or no: bending stress is applied to the centerof the axle 6a. A pole 5E5, somewhat longer than the pole 300, isfastened between two angle irons 4! I and M2 supported by a pair ofbrackets 453 and MA from the transverse channel members 435. A seat M5may also be supported from the rear member 455 by a bracket M6.

While I have shown and described above the preferred construction inwhich the principles of the present invention have been embodied, it isto be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specificdetails shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of myinvention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed directly oversaid bowl and including oscillatory inclined plates forming a wallthereof, and means carried by said picker wheel and engageable with saidinclined hopper plates for oscillating the latter.

2. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowlcomprising separated sections and a picker wheel rotated between saidsections, a hopper disposed substantially directly above said bowl andincluding a pair of oscillatory inclined plates forming a wall of thehopper and spaced one on each side of said picker wheel and disposedadjacent the axis of rotation of the latter, and means carried by saidpicker wheel and directly engageable with said spaced plates foroscillating the latter.

3. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a rotatablepicker wheel disposed in a generally vertical plane, a hopper disposedabove said wheel and including a divided lower section having portionsdisposed on opposite sides of said wheel and a central wall disposedabove said wheel, a pair of oscillatory inclined plates one disposed inand forming a wall of each of said portions and disposed alongside saidwheel, and means for oscillating said inclined plates.

l. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a generally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatable therein, ahopper disposed above said bowl and including lower separated sections,one disposed on each side of said picker wheel, a pair of oscillatoryplates forming at least a portion of the laterally inner wall of each ofsaid hopper sections and disposed adjacent the picker wheel on oppositeside-s thereof, and means actuated. when said picker wheel is driven foroscillating said plates.

5. In a potato planter, a supporting frame, seed selecting mechanismincluding a seed bowl carried by said frame and a picker wheel rotatabletherein, a hopper disposed substantially directly above said bowl andincluding lower separated sections disposed on opposite sides of saidpicker wheel, a pair of oscillatory plates carried by the inner wall ofeach of said lower hopper sections and mounted for movement in avertical plane for feeding material toward said seed bowl, meansincluding a transverse shaft journaled on said frame for driving saidpicker wheel, and means actuated by said shaft for oscillating saidplates. 6. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including aseed bowl and a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed abovesaid bowl and including a generally vertically disposed wall adjacentsaid picker wheel, an oscillatory plate mounted on said generallyvertically disposed wall and oscillatable for feeding material towardsaid seed bowl, pivot means for said oscillatory plate including springmeans urging the latter against said wall, and means for oscillatingsaid plate.

7. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed above said bowland including a generally vertical wall disposed alongside said pickerwheel, an oscillatory plate mounted adjacent said wall and shiftable ina vertical plane for feeding material toward said seed bowl, pivot meansfor said oscillatory plate including a transversely disposed memberhaving one end carried by said vertical wall and the other end carriedby said seed bowl, spring means encircling said pivot and serving tourge said oscillatory plate against said generally vertical hopper wall,means for driving said picker wheel including a transverse shaft, andmeans connected with said shaft for oscillating said plate.

8. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed above said bowland including a generally vertically disposed wall adjacent said pickerwheel, an oscillatory plate mounted on said generally verticallydisposed wall and oscillatable for feeding material toward said seedbowl, means including a transverse shaft for oscillating saidoscillatory member, and a second oscillatory plate movably mounted insaid hopper and operatively connected to be driven by said picker wheel.

9. In a potato planter, a main supporting frame, seed selectingmechanism including a seed bowl and a picker wheel rotatable in thecentral portion thereof, a hopper disposed directly above said bowl andincluding laterally spaced sections embracing the upper portion of saidpicker wheel, each of said sections having a substantially vertical walldisposed alongside said picker wheel,

means for driving the latter including a transverse shaft journaled forrotation on said frame, said shaft having crank portions, laterallyspaced vertically disposed oscillatory plates pivoted to said verticalhopper wall sections, and means serving as laterally spaced pitmansoperatively connected with said crank portions of the crank shaft andpivotally connected with said oscillatory plates, whereby rotation ofsaid shaft oscillates said vertical plates.

10. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed directly abovesaid bowl and including an oscillatory plate forming a wall thereof andextending alongside said wheel, and means on said picker wheel adaptedto engage said plate periodically during the rotation of the pickerwheel for oscillating said plate.

11. In a potato planter, a seed selecting mecl1- anism including a seedbowl and a picker wheel member rotatable therein, a hopper disposedabove said bowl and including an oscillatory plate member forming a wallof the hopper and extending alongside said picker wheel member, andmeans on one of said members serving as a lug and adapted to engage theother member for periodically oscillating said plate member during therotation of the picker wheel member.

12. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a two-partseed bowl and a gen erally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatablebetween the parts of said bowl, a hopper mounted on said bowl andincluding a central wall partition embracing the upper portions of saidpicker wheel and serving to divide the lower portion of the hopper intotwo sections disposed on opposite sides of said picker wheel, a pair ofoscillatory plates carried by the hopper, one on each side of said wheeland each forming a wall of the associated hopper section, each of saidplates terminating in an end disposed in said seed bowl, and meansactuated when said picker wheel is rotated for oscillating said platesto feed material from said hopper into each of said bowl sections.

13. In a potato planter, a seed selecting mechanism including a two-partseed bowl and a generally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatablebetween the parts of said bowl, a hopper disposed above andcommunicating with said bowl, said hopper including a central wallpartition embracing the upper portion of said picker wheel, a pair ofoscillatory inclined plates carried by the hopper, one on each side ofsaid wheel and each forming a wall of the hopper, a pair of battleplates carried by the hopper and inclined oppositely to and extending toa point adjacent said oscillatory plates, and means actuated when saidpicker wheel is rotated for driving said oscillatory plates to feedmaterial from said hopper into each of said bowl sections.

14. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a two-partseed bowl and a generally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatablebetween the parts of said bowl, a hopper mounted on said bowl andincluding a central partition embracing the upper portions of saidpicker wheel and serving to divide the lower portion of the hopper intotwo sections disposed on opposite sides of the picker wheel, one wall ofsaid hop-per being inclined in a direction extending toward the latter,a pair of oscillatory plates carried by the hopper, one on each side ofsaid wheel, a pair of bafile plates mounted on the interior of saidhopper and of a wall opposite said inclined wall, said bafile platesbeing inclined downwardly in a direction generally toward said pickerwheel and disposed alongside said oscillatory plates, and means actuatedwhen said picker wheel is rotated for driving said oscillatory plates tofeed material from said hopper into each of said bowl sections.

15. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a generally vertically disposed picker wheel, a hopper disposedabove said bowl and on opposite sides of said wheel, a pair ofoscillatory plates carried by said hopper in planes generally at rightangles to the plane of rotation of said picker wheel, one on each sideof said picker wheel and each serving as a wall of the associatedportion of the hopper, and means on the hub of the picker wheel forshifting said plates toward and away from the axis of rotation of saidpicker wheel.

16. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a generally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatable therein, ahopper disposed above said bowl and including lower separated sections,one disposed on each side of said picker wheel, a pair of oscillatoryplates mounted for movement in a substantially vertical plane on thelaterally inner wall of each of said lower hopper sections, and meansfor simultaneously oscillating both of said plates.

17. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a generally vertically disposed picker Wheel rotatable therein, ahopper disposed above said bowl and including lower separated sections,one disposed on each side of said picker wheel, a pair of oscillatoryplates mounted for substantially vertical movement on the laterallyinner wall of each of said lower hopper sections, pivot means supportingsaid plates for oscillatory movement in a generally vertical direction,and means actuated when the picker wheel is rotated for oscillating saidplates.

18. In a potato planter, a main frame, seed selecting mechanism carriedby said frame and including a seed bowl and a rotatable picker wheel, ahopper carried on said main frame and disposed directly over said bowl,said hopper including lower laterally spaced separated sectionsembracing the upper portions of said picker wheel and having laterallyinner vertical walls disposed on opposite sides of said picker wheel, avertically disposed oscillatory plate mounted for movement relative toeach of said vertical walls for the purpose of feeding material intosaid seed bowl, and means for oscillating said plates.

19. In a potato planter, a main frame, seed selecting mechanism carriedby said frame and includnig a seed bowl and a rotatable picker wheel, ahopper carried on said main frame and disposed directly over said bowl,said hopper including lower laterally spaced separated sectionsembracing the upper portions of said picker wheel and having laterallyinner vertical walls disposed on opposite sides of said picker wheel,

I an oscillatory plate mounted for movement relative to each of saidvertical walls for the purpose of feeding material into said seed bowl,and a transverse shaft on said frame connected to drive both said pickerwheel and said oscillatory plates.

20. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed directly oversaid bowl and including a vertical wall section embracing said pickerwheel, an oscillatory plate pivotally mounted on each side of saidvertical wall section and oscillatable for feeding material toward saidseed bowl, a transverse crank shaft journaled for rotation relative tosaid hopper, and means connecting said crank shaft.

and said oscillatory plates, thereby providing for the oscillation ofsaid plates when said shaft is rotated.

21. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposed above said bowland including a generally vertically disposed wall adjacent said pickerwheel, an oscillatory plate mounted on said generally verticallydisposed wall and oscillatable for feeding material toward said seedbowl, means including a transverse shaft for oscillating saidoscillating member, and a second plate forming at least a portion of thebottom of the hopper and oscillatable alongside said first plate forfeeding seed pieces into said bowl.

22. A potato planter comprising seed selecting mechanism including aseed bowl and a picker wheel rotatable therein, a hopper disposeddirectly above said bowl and including a shiftable plate forming adownwardly sloping bottom wall thereof and extending alongside saidwheel into the rear portion of said seed bowl, and means on said pickerwheel adapted to engage said plate periodically during the rotation ofthe picker wheel for agitating said plate.

23. A potato planter comprising seed selecting mechanism including aseed bowl and a picker wheel rotatable therein, means on the pickerwheel movable into a portion of the bowl to select seed pieces therein,a hopper disposed directly above said bowl and including a shiftableplate forming a bottom wall thereof that slopes downwardly alongsidesaid wheel toa point adjacent said portion of the seed bowl, and meanson said picker wheel adapted to engage said plate periodically duringthe rotation of the picker wheel for agitating said plate.

24. In a potato planter, seed selecting mechanism including a seed bowland a generally vertically disposed picker wheel rotatable therein, ahopper disposed above said bowl and including lower separated sections,one disposed on each side of said picker wheel, a pair of shiftableplates mounted for movement in a substantially vertical plane on thelaterally inner wall of each of 5 said lower hopper sections, and meansfor shifting said plates back and forth to agitate the seed pieces insaid hopper sections.

CURTISS L. 000K.

